640.001/4–1350: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom

confidential

1679. Embtel 1932, Apr 11.1 Although GA res Oct 22, 1949 on satellite peace treaties does not require US and UK to take any action following delivery of ICJ advisory opinion on first two questions2 and presumably Bulg, Hung, Rum Govts have been notified of opinion [Page 18] by ICJ itself and by SYG, Dept believes desirable plaintiff Govts send additional notes to three Govts along lines text Deptel 1578, Apr 7 for fol principal reasons:

1.
To take account of new situation created by announcement of opinion of world’s highest judicial organ refuting legal arguments advanced by satellite govts;
2.
To complete record of dipl exchanges by formally calling attn of satellite Govts to ICJ opinion that they are obliged carry out provisions disputes arts and appoint their reps to comms, and reminding them we have already complied with those provisions by appointing our reps;
3.
To provide further means for publicizing court’s opinion especially on second question, particularly important in view possibility court may not decide in affirmative on third and fourth questions.

In view 30-day limit set by GA res for notification appointments to SYG, our notes shld be delivered near future.3

Acheson
  1. In telegram 1578, April 7, to London, not printed, the Department of State, in view of the advisory opinion rendered by the International Court of Justice on March 30, proposed that parallel notes be sent by the United States, United Kingdom, and interested British Dominions to Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania again calling upon them to appoint members to Treaty Commissions as provided for under the Peace Treaties (640.001/4–750). Telegram 1932, April 11, from London, not printed, reported that the British Foreign Office had apparently not contemplated sending such notes as proposed by the Department but would give immediate consideration to the proposal. The Foreign Office asked for the Department’s reasons for the decision to take such additional action (640.001/4–1150).
  2. Regarding the International Court of Justice advisory opinion of March 30 and the United Nations General Assembly resolution of October 22, 1949, under reference here, see the editorial note, p. 12.
  3. The British Foreign Office subsequently agreed to send notes to Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania as proposed by the Department of State, subject to certain drafting changes in the American draft text. The notes were delivered on April 26; see the editorial note, infra.